Coupling device for toy trains



July 7, 1942. w. e. DANIELS COUPLING DEVICE FOR TOY TRAINS Filed April 10, 1940 IN V E N TO R Mu l/YM 650/96: UAW/26 ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1942 COUPLING DEVICE FOR TOY TRAINS William George Daniels, Baldwin, N. Y., assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 10, 1940, Serial No 328,853

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to coupling devices for toy trains.

The coupling devices ordinarily used on toy trains are arranged so that it is necessary to actuate the movable element of each coupling device of a pair so that the cars may be disconnected. Where these couplers were manually operated to uncouple the cars it was easy to actuate both devices at one time and separate the cars. Where, however, the uncoupling operation is' to be efiected by remote control, for example, by magnetic devices carried by the track or toy vehicles it was necessary to place both cars in a proper position to have the uncoupling mechanisms simultaneously energized. It was also impossible to automatically uncouple two cars one of which only had the electromagnetically operable uncoupling mechanism.

The present invention contemplates coupling devices so arranged that when the mechanism carried by one car is operated toward uncoupling position, it actuates the mechanism carried by the other car to move it to uncoupling position so that the two cars may be simultaneously uncoupled by an uncoupling operation initiated by the uncoupler carried on either car. This makes it possible to uncouple the cars of the train with greater facility than with the prior couplers, for example, the electromagnetically operated coupler need be on only one vehicle, for example, a locomotive used for shifting cars.

The accompanying drawing shows, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, two of the many embodiments in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view with parts in section showing a form of automatic coupling mechanism adapted for operation by a stationary solenoid coil carried by the track;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of a car and coupler;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of one fragment of a coupler head and hook with a fragment of another coupler head; and

Figure 4 is a side elevational view with parts in section showing a modified form of construction.

The usual wheel bearing rails of a toy railroad track are indicated at H] and l I. The third rail is indicated at l2. It is interrupted, as shown in Figure 1, to receive a solenoid coil l3. A jumper l4 connects the pieces of third rail I2.

The coil is connected to external control means by terminals indicated at [5 and [6.

Two similar toy vehicles are indicated at 20 and 2! as being carried on the track. These toy vehicles have swinging trucks 22, 22 of usual construction and pivoted to turn about posts 23. Each truck carries a strap 24 which extends toward the end of the platform 25 of the toy car or other vehicle. The end of this strap 24 is connected by a pivot 26 with a coupler arm 2'! which extends out beyond the end of the car body as indicated. The inner end of the coupler arm 21 is bent upwardly, as indicated at 28, and passes through an elongated opening 29 in the car platform. This conventional construction of truck and connections between the truck, the car body and the coupler bar is shown for purposes of illustration. It will be understood that the present invention is applicable to other conventional forms of support for coupler bars such as common in toy car construction.

The coupler bars 21 each carry a coupler head 30 and a coupler hook 3|. The hook has a camming surface 32 adapted to lift the head of the coupler on the other car and a. cut back portion 33 behind which the overhanging ledge portion 34 of the coupler head of the other car is adapted to drop. The cooperation of the coupler heads and coupler hooks just described is also conventional, and when the two coupler heads have dropped behind the two coupler hooks, as indicated in Figure 1, the two cars are coupled together and it is necessary to lift both coupler heads in order to release the two cars from one another so that they can be separated.

To accomplish the simultaneous release of the coupler heads and coupler hooks the present invention contemplates that each movable coupler head shall have an extension or other device, such as indicated at 35, which passes beyond the coupler head of the other car as is apparent from Figure 1.

The coupler heads may be automatically shifted in various manners. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3 each coupler head has an extension 36 which passes under the car body and passes beneath the pivot 26. It is a short distance below the free end 31 of an armature 38. The other end of the armature has pivot forming prongs 39, which pass up through the platform 25, and is held in place by a spring 40 carried about a bolt 4|. The armature is shaped as shown in the drawing so as to be close to the solenoid coil [3. When this coil is energized the armature 38 of the car at the right of Figure 1 will be pulled down to the dotand-dash line position, and this will cause the element 36 carried by the coupler head of the corresponding car to lift the coupler head to the dot-and-dash line position. This will bring the extension 35 carried thereby against the coupler head of the car to the left causing it to lift to the dot-and-dash line position as shown in the drawing. This quickly and effectively releases both cars.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 4 the coupler bars 21, coupler heads 30 and coupler hooks 3| may be of conventional construction. Instead of having the coil for operating the coupler heads carried by the track it is here shown at 5!] as carried by the truck. The plunger 5! is moved by the coil against the depending part 52 carried by the coupler head so as to lift it away and as a consequence actuate the coupler to open position.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions within the scope of the claims and I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but a few of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with two toy cars, of a coupler bar secured to each toy car, each coupler bar having a coupler hook and a movable coupler head, each hook having a cam surface adapted to shift the other coupler head when the cars approach for coupling and a notch to receive a portion of the said other coupler head and prevent separation of the cars, each coupler head having an extension adapted to pass by the extension of the other coupler head when the cars approach or separate, the coupler heads each being freely movable to uncoupling position when draw bar pull is being exerted between the cars, means to move one coupler head toward uncoupling position and to bring the extension thereof against the other coupler head to cause movement of said other coupler head to uncoupling position and completely uncouple the cars from one another.

2. The combination With two toy cars, of a coupler bar secured to each car and having a coupler hook at the remote end thereof, a coupler head pivoted to the bar and extending part way to the hook, each head being liftable by a cam on the end of the other hook, each hook having a notch into which the upper portion of the other coupler head may drop, each coupler head having an extension below the coupler bar adapted to pass beyond the extension of the other coupler bar when the cars are brought together, a portion of one extension passing underneath a portion of the other extension and being engageable therewith to lift said other coupler head when the said extension is raised.

WILLIAM GEORGE DANIELS. 

